Biblical Inspiration
Overview
In this outstanding study, the author first considers various theories of the nature of inspiration. This leads to a consideration of the “entire trustworthiness” of the Bible, the inerrancy debate, and the place of biblical criticism.
From determining the original meaning of the text, Professor Marshall turns to the Bible’s contemporary significance and meaning before finally presenting the authority of Scripture for today. As he expresses in Biblical Inspiration, “the Bible is precious to the Christian believer, not because it is regarded as some kind of magical oracle but because here one hears and receives the message of a gracious God who, having revealed himself supremely in his Son Jesus Christ, continues to reveal himself in and through the pages of Scripture.”
Biblical Inspiration, expanded from lectures delivered at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, is neither a narrowly focused study of the meaning of “inspiration,” nor a collection of loosely related articles on the Bible. It canvasses what might be called the doctrine of the Bible, covering topics such as Biblical revelation; the extent and significance of the Bible’s truth claims; the appropriateness of categories like “inerrancy;” hermeneutical problems associated with its interpretation and application; and reflections on the nature of its authority.
The nature of the authority of the Bible is crucial. Biblical Inspiration, designed for the reader with little technical background, is the perfect place to begin studying this important topic.
Top Highlights
“What does it mean to say that the Bible is the Word of God?” (Page 9)
“A different kind of view is that the Bible is to be understood as a witness to divine revelation rather than as revelation itself.” (Page 35)
“A second point is that the New Testament writers regard the statements in the Old Testament as having unquestioned authority.” (Page 23)
“My aim in this book is to try to produce a positive statement of the nature of the Bible in the light of the difficulties that face readers today.” (Page 12)
“On the other hand, there are people who regard the Bible more as the record of mankind’s religious quest and experience, a book of essentially human questions and human answers.” (Page 9)
Praise for the Print Edition
Marshall is always worth reading, and his tone is irenic throughout.
—D. A. Carson, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Product Details
- Title: Biblical Inspiration
- Author: I. Howard Marshall
- Publisher: Paternoster
- Publication Date: 1982
- Pages: 125
I. Howard Marshall (1934-2015) was a world-renowned New Testament scholar and the author or editor of at least thirty-eight books and more than 120 essays and articles. He taught New Testament at the University of Aberdeen for thirty-five years and was a professor emeritus for sixteen years. Among his numerous publications on the New Testament are his commentaries on the Gospel of Luke, Acts, 1-2 Thessalonians, the Pastoral Epistles and 1 Peter and 1-3 John. He is coauthor of Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Letters and Revelation and coeditor of the New International Greek Testament Commentary series, as well as the author of the series' volume on Luke. He has also authored New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel. Marshall was an evangelical Methodist who was born and lived most of his life in Scotland. He received a PhD from the University of Aberdeen and a DD from Asbury Theological Seminary.
Sample Pages from the Print Edition
Reviews
3 ratings
Aaron
4/17/2016
Sean
4/3/2016
Marshall presents a good, non-technical statement and defense of a centrist evangelical view of inspiration. For the most part, he represents and engages other viewpoints fairly. He falls down in misunderstanding--sadly, like many, many other evangelical scholars--the neo-orthodox/Barthian view of inspiration. To say that the Bible is the inspired "witness" to revelation that "becomes" the Word of God is not to devalue Scripture and descend into a shapeless relativism dependent on human feeling. It means, rather, that the Holy Spirit who inspired Scripture works so powerfully in bringing it to its hearers that it becomes as the original revelation itself. Properly understood, there is a lot of strength in this viewpoint, and it helps overcome some of the squishiness remaining in a presentation even as good as Marshall's--and again, his is quite good. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
